AXIOS May 23, 2023
U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy issuing a warning today that social media poses a threat to kids’ mental health, escalating calls for new safeguards aimed at minors.
Why it matters: The advisory adds to scrutiny over the effects of excessive use and harmful content, which has been blamed for consequences ranging from disrupting kids’ sleep to promoting suicidal thoughts.
- Murthy told Axios he’s calling on policymakers, platforms and parents to create safe limits. He’s previously said he believes age 13 is “too early” for kids to join social media.
- The White House is concurrently releasing plans that include creating an interagency task force on kids’ online safety, establishing best practices for teaching digital literacy and habits and supporting efforts...